Indian · main

Vegetarian Coconut Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach

Vegetarian Coconut Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach reads citrus 5.2, sourness 4.8 and allium 4.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 26 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.2 · Sourness 4.8 · Allium 4.6 · Richness 4.2 · Umami 4.2 · Salinity 3.8 · Sweetness 3.4 · Nutty 3.1 · Warm Spice 2.7 · Earthy 2.6 · Heat 2.4 · Fruity 1.8 · Floral 1.8 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Bitterness 1.2

What's in it (15)

• vegetable oil — 27 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• curry powder — 15 g
• cumin — 5 g
• turmeric — 3 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• tomato paste — 30 g
• chickpeas — 879 g
• coconut milk — 397 g
• vegetable broth — 237 g
• baby spinach — 142 g
• salt — 5 g
• lime — 65 g

Time & effort: about 26 min (25 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 239.3 kcal, 10.7 g protein, 8.9 g fat, 30.4 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent at the edges, 5-6 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, until the spices darken slightly and smell toasted, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it deepens to a brick-red color and smells sweet rather than sharp, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the chickpeas, coconut milk, and vegetable broth; stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
6. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, 12-15 minutes.
7. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time, letting each addition wilt before adding the next, until all the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
8. Season with the salt, then stir in the lime juice; taste and add more salt, cayenne, or lime juice as needed. Serve hot.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chickpea Coconut Curry with Kale — Indian
• Chickpea and Spinach Curry — Indian
• Coconut Lentil Dal with Rice — Indian
• Skillet Chickpea and Spinach Curry — Indian
• Coconut Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry — Indian

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.